Alumni Networks

What is an Alumni Network?

The Otterbein University Alumni Networks provide opportunities and events for alumni to connect with others who share your interests. A network is for alumni who share common academic majors, cultural affiliations, places of employment or special interests. The purpose of networks is for career enhancement, professional development and mentoring for current students. Get involved and remember just how much fun it is to be a Cardinal!

Alumni Networks

We are proud to represent the black community of Otterbein University and to share its rich heritage with you.

The purpose of the AAAN is to:

Foster on-going relationships, support and service for the Otterbein African American Alumni community

Provide the opportunity for alumni to continue to be a part of diversity growth on campus

Provide mentoring relationships between alumni and students

You can be a part of AAAN opportunities such as the Cardinal Career Network, panel discussions, community service activities, mentoring, providing scholarships, and supporting students who are part of the African American Student Union and the University. For more information please contact James Prysock '09, program coordinator at the Office of Diversity, at jprysock@otterbein.edu.

The Dept. of Athletics and the Office of Alumni Relations are proud to host many special events, fundraising opportunities and volunteer activities just for our Alumni Athletes. If you have interest in the following, please email alumniinfo@otterbein.edu with your interest.

Alumni Panels: Otterbein Athletics alumni professional development panel for student-athletes

Career Mentor: Working with the Otterbein Director of Athletics and Center for Career & Professional Development to share internships, volunteer opportunities or other professional opportunities for student-athletes available at your place of employment

Athletic Team Reunions: Each year, we host a variety of reunions for athletic teams during Homecoming, Alumni Weekend and throughout the year. Please review our Alumni Events page for the most up-to-date reunion information. We will also send mail and email for all athletic reunions, so please be sure your information is updated through our Update Your Information form.

Fundraising: Give back to support the Otterbein University Turf and Track Project, which will impact approximately 550 current student-athletes, countless future student-athletes, and the entire campus community! More information.

Hall of Fame: The Otterbein Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 2008 by the Athletic Department to honor individuals and teams that have made significant contributions to the success of our programs, either as athletes or in supporting roles. For more information and to find the nomination form, please visit http://otterbeincardinals.com/hof.aspx.

Otterbein University has established a common reading experience for new students through a gift from an alumna, Mary Thomas '28. The selection of books for the common reading experience reflects Otterbein's resolve to add an academic component to new student orientation and to present itself to incoming students as an intellectual community willing to grapple with significant contemporary issues.

Since 1995, the series seeks to stimulate a year-long discussion of an academic theme derived from common book issues by exploring it in classes, residence halls, and co-curricular programming. A committee of faculty, staff, alumni and students select from over fifty books each year in an effort to find a significant contemporary work to read the next year.

Recommend books that you have read or heard about that could be a strong choice for a freshman common reading experience. Please remember that the author must be alive so we can invite the author to campus. If you have books to recommend, please send the book title and author to Amy Parsons, Library liaison for the Common Book Committee (aparsons@otterbein.edu) for consideration.

The Friends of the Library exists to help educate Otterbein students, support faculty and staff, share your love of books and reading with others, and attract gifts of books, manuscripts, library materials and financial support for the Courtright Memorial Library. Become a member of Friends of the Library today to help preserve Otterbein's heritage, participate in the present, and prepare for the future. Find more information on the Friends of the Library webpage or contact Lois Szudy '99, Library Director, at Lszudy@otterbein.edu or call 823-1414.

The Friends of Music Affinity Network is for alumni and friends who believe in supporting and fostering the music activities, students, and faculty in the Department of Music at Otterbein University and to affirm the values of music and its heritage as a part of the Otterbein experience. For more information, visit The Friends of Music at Otterbein University.

The Office of Alumni Relations recently established the Greek Alumni Council to increase communication, coordinate programming and build community toward the goal of a model community of leaders, learners and educators.

The Greek Alumni Council is comprised of Greek Alumni Presidents from all 17 Greek organizations: eight fraternities, six sororities and three NPHC organizations. If you are interested to learn more, please contact your chapter's Alumni President or contact the Alumni Office at 614-823-1650 or email alumniinfo@otterbein.edu.

The MBA program at Otterbein has been growing steadily and now, with more than 500 alumni, there is interest in maintaining contact with former classmates and professors. If you are interested in attending or planning networking events for the MBA alumni group, please join our LinkedIn group and start a discussion.

The Westerville Otterbein Women's Club was founded in 1921 for the purpose of raising funds for Otterbein and its students. In 1952 the first thrift shop opened in the basement of Cowan Hall. After the basement in Cowan flooded, the shop was temporarily moved to a room in Towers, eventually to a house on Maple Street, and in the 1970’s to its home at 177 West Park. As of June 2012, a total of $826,657 has been raised.

The Otterbein Thrift Shop is operated by the Westerville Otterbein Women's Club (W.O.W.C.) to serve Otterbein University. Proceeds go directly to the University to support seven endowed scholarships and The Diamond Jubilee Grant. Capital Project gifts are given to support the mission and strategic plan of Otterbein University.

Otterbein theatre alumni are working all over the world, both on and off stage in a variety of artistic, technical, and administrative areas. Some of these alumni are featured in the Entertainment section of the Towers Magazine, published semi-annually.

Nominate a Young Alumna/us that you know for the Young Alumni Awards! The Young Alumni Awards are presented each year at Homecoming. / More Information

Young Alumni Advisory Board

The Young Alumni Advisory Board provides guidance to the Office of Alumni Relations in regards to the young alumni community (all alumni age 40 and younger). The Advisory Board will serve as representatives of the greater young alumni community and will seek to engage other alumni in the execution of all aspects of alumni relations.

The YAAB is composed of selected members of the young alumni community who have demonstrated leadership, vision and commitment to the University through event attendance, giving and leadership/strategic planning. This Advisory Board meets two times per calendar year in January and August. The members are selected by the Office of Alumni Relations.

Interested in joining the YA Advisory Board? Contact Sarah Burnell in the Office of Alumni Relations at burnell@otterbein.edu.

/ Office of Alumni Relations

The Office of Alumni Relations is located in Howard House,
131 W. Park St.